Female Place Kicker Alleges Rape by Ex-Colorado Teammate

A female place kicker said she was raped by a Colorado teammate four years ago but was too frightened to tell police, another damaging accusation against a reeling program.

Katie Hnida makes the allegation in the upcoming issue of Sports Illustrated, saying she wanted to come forward because of other problems recently revealed at the school.

She issued a statement yesterday through the University of New Mexico, where she is a student, to say she was "healing" from "horrors endured" while on the Colorado football team. The statement does not mention rape, and she said she does not plan to press charges.

Hnida's statement, however, was intended to confirm the magazine account, said New Mexico athletics spokesman Greg Remington. Colorado President Betsy Hoffman urged Hnida to report the alleged assault to police.

The university announced it will hire a special administrator to oversee its athletics department. School officials said they decided to add the position after learning of Hnida's allegations.

The accusation comes after three weeks of stunning allegations involving the Colorado football program. Three women have sued the school in federal court, saying they were raped by players or recruits at or after an off-campus party in December 2001. . . .

The NCAA charged the University of Washington with a lack of institutional control regarding the Final Four betting pool that eventually cost football coach Rick Neuheisel his job.

The charges, issued in a letter to the school, also centered on the use of a booster's boat in recruiting. Neuheisel was fired in June after admitting he participated in NCAA basketball pools in 2002 and 2003; he initially did not admit to his participation when questioned by NCAA investigators.

The university plans to fight the charge of lack of institutional control, which, if proven, could result in probation for the Huskies football program. The Pacific-10 is conducting an investigation of the matter and has charged Washington with a "failure to monitor," which is not as serious as lack of institutional control. . . .

Virginia Coach Al Groh neared completion of his coaching staff by hiring assistants Mark D'Onofrio and John Garrett, leaving him with only a graduate assistant spot to fill.